Page 140 of The Last One to Let You Down

“Right.” Tom snapped out of his shock, though his fingers were shaking as he reached for his phone.

“Fuck!” Aaron groaned, trying to staunch the bleeding with his hands. He glared furiously at Edie and screamed, “You fuckin’ bitch! You fuckin’ shot me!”

“You’d better hush up them nasty lips, or I’ll shoot you again,” Edie warned.

Tom had no idea what he told the dispatcher, frantically rambling out something about a man being shot who was trying to kill them all.

Smooth, very smooth.

He hung up quickly with a wince, saying, “They’re on their way.”

“I’m going to fucking bleed out before they get here!” Aaron wailed miserably. “Come on! You gotta fuckin’ help me!”

“We ain’t gotta do nothin’.” Edie snorted. “But lucky for you, I’m a good Christian woman. Take off your tie and wrap it around your leg. Tom?”

“Yes ma’am?” Tom asked.

“You got a metal rod or somethin’ that won’t break if it gets turned up real tight?”

“Uh.” Tom looked around frantically and opened up one of the instrument trays. He found a drain tube, offering it up for her inspection. “This?”

“That’ll work. Go on and toss it over to that idiot.” Edie jerked her head. “I’m gonna talk him through tyin’ it off, and will youpleasego see what that damn racket is?”

The banging down the hall hadn’t stopped, and Tom suddenly gasped, “Fuck! Cypress!” He sprinted around Edie, dashing down to the door and cursing as he opened it. “I’m so fuckin’ sorry! I forgot!”

Cypress immediately crushed him in a giant hug, smothering him with kisses and demanding, “I heard a shot! Are you hurt? What the fuck—”

“I’m okay, I’m okay!” Tom hugged him back as hard as he could. “It was Miss Edie—”

“Wait, who got shot?”

“Aaron!” Tom exclaimed. “He was gonna shoot me—”

“What?”

“—and then Edie pulls out the biggest fuckin’ gun I’ve ever seen and just shoots him!” Tom took Cypress’s hand and quickly led him back to the prep room.

Edie was watching over Aaron, praying loudly, “And Lord, please forgive this young boy, and may he use his head as more than a container for his teeth. May he see the wrongfulness of his ways and not talk nasty to ladies like some cheap little punk.”

“Hey, Edie! Are you okay?” Tom asked, cautiously glancing at Aaron.

Aaron was still on the floor, but his leg was tied up, and the bleeding seemed to have stopped. He was sweaty and scowling but alive.

“Oh, I’m fine, baby,” Edie replied, grinning up at Cypress. “Wow! You need a ladder to get all up on that, don’t you?”

“Edie!” Tom hissed.

“Is this your fella, baby?” Edie waved. “Hi! I’m Edith. It’s so nice to meet you!”

“It’s nice to meet you, too, ma’am,” Cypress replied politely. “Nice shot.”

“Nice shot, my left foot. I was aimin’ for his nuts.”

There was more banging at the back door, and Tom left to go answer it. He was nearly bulldozed by paramedics, waving them down the hallway to the prep room. He kicked the door stand to keep the door open, cringing at the sound of sirens as police cars began to swarm the side parking lot.

An unmarked black sedan pulled up right by the garage door, and Fox stepped out. He snorted when he saw Tom, asking dryly, “Why am I not surprised to see you here?”

“I mean, I do work here?” Tom replied, attempting a weak smile. He jumped when he felt a hand on his arm, whirling around to find Cypress there. “Hi.”